Starbucks Japan invites you to enjoy a “supreme espresso experience” at the chain’s first-ever pop-up store in Tokyo. Created by designer Oki Sato, co-founder of design company Nendo, and nestled in the trendy Harajuku district of Tokyo, this unique Starbucks event is aimed at providing visitors with a memorable coffee drinking experience. Visitors can enjoy back-to-basics coffee drinks which highlight the richness of Starbucks espresso and are even able to try their hand at making Starbucks coffee and sample Starbucks Via flavored coffee in the second floor’s “experience space.”

Even the process of ordering a drink is a completely unique and artsy experience. Patrons are encouraged to “choose your favorite book to find your favorite coffee” by skimming through the shelves filled from floor to ceiling with books of nine different coffee choices. Patrons then present the book bearing the name of their desired coffee to the barista, which serves as their drink order. Upon receiving their ordered coffee, patrons are able to keep the sleeve of the book as a souvenir.

As one would expect from any typical Japanese Starbucks, Starbucks Espresso Journey has its own lineup of limited edition goods. Not only are the Starbucks paper cups specially designed by Harajuku designer, Hiroshi Fujiwara, there is a wide array of limited edition tote bags and coffee mugs.

Starbucks Espresso Journey is only available until Sunday night, and catering to a line of 50 eager visitors most mornings, this is one Starbucks limited edition product you don’t want to miss.

Hope Starbucks finds some good people to make the coffee. From my viewpoint, the quality & taste of its coffee seems to depend on who is behind the counter making it.

Also hope they find a coffee that tastes good in paper cups.

I still remember Starbucks first outlet here in Japan, which is located on the Ginza here in Tokyo. As it had experts from the States serving up the coffee, it was delicious. Then what I guess were part-timer took over and the taste went downhill from there.

Will be curious to see how its new Harajuku shop operates ... and how the coffee tastes.

Warning: do not buy the "vanilla whatever" powdered coffee sticks and a few other variations that just showed up at *$$$. They taste terrible and seem to be full of...I don't know...chemicals. Something weird is going on with SBs.